In the fall, surveyors mark deficient sidewalk flags for possible replacement the next year as part of the yearly Sidewalk Improvement Program. Each number corresponds to a type of disrepair. You can find the 2016 marking key information here.

Prior to beginning any work, the city mails official notices of construction with detailed information regarding the proposed project to every affected property. In addition, residents will be notified at least 24 hours in advance via door hangers regarding driveway and street access, except during an emergency situation.

A request regarding the issue can be submitted to the engineering division. Significant parking modifications require an in-house review and the findings will be sent to the traffic committee for discussion and reccomendation. More information can be found on the Traffic Concerns page.

City sewers can only handle a certain amount of flow, and when sewers are overloaded, they can back-up into residents’ basements. To avoid this problem, the city uses catch basin covers that limit how fast water can enter the sewer system. These restricted catch basin covers cause temporary ponding on residential streets during rain storms. The ponded water is typically less than 12 inches deep at the edge of the road. This allows vehicles to drive through the center of the road (with caution) where the water is less deep. Because the restricted catch basin covers have only two or four openings (slots), it is easy for leaves, grass clippings, debris, etc. to clog the openings and cause excess street flooding. If you see a clogged cover, you can help your entire street by clearing the debris! The DPS and Engineering Division also work their way through the city to help clear off clogged catch basins covers.

Water can appear discolored or cloudy whenever there is a large draw of water from the water main, which is relatively common near water main projects. This can occur when water valves are opened and closed, when there are water main breaks, and when hydrants are flushed or used by the Fire Department.

Naturally occurring mineral deposits that accumulate within the water main get stirred up and become suspended particles, thus producing the discoloration in the water. Discolored water is temporary, and while unappealing, it is not harmful.

SOLUTION:Residents should run the cold water faucet closest to the meter (usually located in the basement or outside hose bib) for several minutes until the water runs clear. If the water does not clear after 20 minutes of flushing, contact the Department of Public Service at (248) 246-3300. Residents should avoid running hot water or washing clothes while water is discolored.

The Engineering Division is responsible for the design and new construction of roads, sidewalks, city owned parking lots and major park improvements as well as traffic control and water and sewer infrastructure. The department also oversees any construction work done in the public right-of-way.

dictates that all sidewalks within the City shall be kept and maintained in good repair by the owner of the land adjacent to and abutting upon it. If any owner shall neglect to keep and maintain the sidewalk along the front, rear, or side of the land owned by him in good repair and safe for the use of the public, the owner shall be liable to the City for any damages recovered against the City sustained by any person by reason of such sidewalk being unsafe and out of repair. City Ordinance §650-17

Sewer televising is the act of using a robotic camera, typically sent down through a manhole, to inspect the city’s sewer system without the need for digging or excavation, saving time and money. Sewer televising can reveal blockages from debris or roots and show cracks, breaks or deterioration of a pipe. In order to ensure adequate camera access and visibility, each sewer is cleaned with jetted water prior to sewer televising .

The City of Royal Oak prides itself on being a walkable community and puts great efforts to provide a safe and complete sidewalk network. Our codes and ordinances are written so that we can monitor, repair and add to the network accordingly.

In 2011 the city commission directed the engineering division to assess the conditions of the public sidewalks in the city and determine if deficiencies exist that could promote a hazard, or lead to conditions that could become hazardous in the future. The commission also directed staff to identify locations where sidewalks do not exist and make recommendations as to the feasibility of installing new sidewalks that would further the existing sidewalk network.

After this review, the commission directed the engineering division to embark on a sidewalk improvement program to inspect and replace sidewalks in accordance with city code §650 over a six year period from 2012 to 2017. To establish an efficient and cost effective sidewalk program, the Engineering Division uses these selection criteria.

City Ordinance §650-17 dictates that all sidewalks within the City shall be kept and maintained in good repair by the owner of the land adjacent to and abutting upon it. If any owner shall neglect to keep and maintain the sidewalk along the front, rear, or side of the land owned by him in good repair and safe for the use of the public, the owner shall be liable to the City for any damages recovered against the City sustained by any person by reason of such sidewalk being unsafe and out of repair. §650-17

The property owner may elect to replace the problem public sidewalk by hiring a contractor to perform the work. That contractor must obtain a Right-of-Way Permit through the city prior to beginning work. The work must be completed BEFORE the city's contractor arrives on that street.

Additional public sidewalk replacement may be added to the scheduled work for a property. Contact the engineering division to schedule an appointment with the inspector and have the necessary paperwork executed. It should be noted that once started, the program and contractor moves quickly, and requests for additional work should be made immediately after receiving the notification letter.

The property owner may contact the city’s contractor directly to arrange for the installation of any driveway or approach work; however this work cannot be added to the city’s sidewalk contract and shall be contracted directly with the contractor.

Property owners will be billed by the City for the sidewalk work with one bill in the beginning of the following year. The bill shall be paid in full within 30 days or as noted on the invoice. Unpaid bills will be added to the tax role of properties as required.

Property owners may request a payment plan for the sidewalk work, which must be approved by the city commission. Once approved, payment plans will be billed through the treasurer's office. They are typically spread over six years with a maximum 6% interest rate. Interest rates and time periods are established by the city commission prior to billing. Payment plans can be paid off at any time without penalty; contact the treasurer's office for a payoff amount. Currently, this is the only payment plan offered by the city. THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A REQUEST IS SEPTEMBER 30, 2017. You can download the form here.

In addition to the criteria for replacing deficient sidewalk, the city commission also authorized the installation of new sidewalks adjacent to properties currently not providing 5 foot wide concrete sidewalks. This fulfills the City’s master plans and non-motorized plan of a complete walkable community, to continue to expand the sidewalk network so that pedestrians can traverse to all areas and access all properties safely.

The property owner should contact the engineering division and schedule an appointment to meet with the inspector who will explain the required criteria and note why sidewalks meet specific criteria. If the property owner further disagrees with the assessment, they may submit a written request for exemption which will be reviewed by the city engineer, who will respond in writing. You can download the Exemption Request Form here.

The sidewalk program typically begins in early June and continues to the end of October. In any particular location, the sidewalk will be removed and replaced within a matter of days up to one week. New concrete sidewalks placed in a driveway location cannot be driven on for 7 days. Adjacent pavement and lawn restoration will be performed as the contractor progresses through the target area and will be completed before the end of the contract. Property owners can help by watering newly planted grass seed to ensure its growth.

The city or its contractor will provide 24 hours advance written notice to any property affected with sidewalk to be removed and replaced in the drive area. The notice, a door hanger, will be placed in the door of the affected property alerting the property owner to have all necessary vehicles moved to the street where parking is allowed. The city will not enforce special parking areas during the construction. Parking is not allowed on major roads. Barricades may be placed at drive locations until it is safe to drive on the new pavement.

The city’s contractor has been instructed to take special care when building sidewalks around sprinkler systems. As stated in the notification letter, property owners are required to mark their sprinklers so that these locations are clear to the contractor. The contractor will repair or replace any marked sprinkler that becomes damaged from the work. Private sprinklers located on city right-of-way that are not marked by the property owner prior to sidewalk construction will not be repaired if damaged.

This work is included in the construction of sidewalk. Tree roots will be removed adjacent to marked sidewalk panels where possible. In some instances, where space is available, the sidewalk may be curved around a tree. The property owner is responsible to repair the sidewalks regardless of the location or owner of the tree. City trees will not be removed unless the Parks & Forestry division deems the tree unhealthy or too large for the space where the tree is intended to grow.

As stated in Royal Oak’s municipal code, the Historic District Study Committee (HDSC) was established to “provide for the establishment of historic districts in carrying out the public purpose of historic preservation in the City of Royal Oak, consistent with the State of Michigan Local Historic Districts Act” (§ 82-3). A historic district is “an area, or group of areas not necessarily having contiguous boundaries, that contains one resource or a group of resources that are related by history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture” (§ 82-3).

There are currently 13 historic districts within the city of Royal Oak that have been designated as such by the HDSC. These districts are listed in the Royal Oak municipal code Ch. 82, Articles IV-XVI:

Royal Oak Savings Bank Block (at the southwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets and Haberman's Fabric Store at 117 West Fourth Street-originally known as the A.G. Miller Building).

Hilzinger Block Building (106-110 South Main Street)

B&C Grocery Store (417, 419 and 421 South Main Street and 101 East Fifth Street”)

“In evaluating the significance of historic resources, the Committee shall be guided by the selection criteria for evaluation issued by the United States Secretary of the Interior for inclusion of resources in the National Register of Historic Places, as set forth in 36 CFR Part 60, and criteria established or approved by the Bureau, if any” (§82-9).

A property may be designated historic if it is a “publicly or privately owned building, structure, site, object, feature or open space that is significant in the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture of the City of Royal Oak, the State of Michigan, or the United States” (§82-2). More specifically, the HDSC applies criteria from the US Department of Interior,

A. That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the

broad patterns of our history; or

B. That are associated with the lives of significant persons in our past; or

C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of

construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

D. That have yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history or

The most important benefit is preserving Royal Oak history, both in neighborhoods as well as downtown (and perhaps spurring cultural heritage tourism). According to the Michigan Historic Preservation Network’s report published in 2016, there is also less of a possibility of demolition, as well as some economic benefit, such as higher actualized resale value. The Local Historic Districts Act of 1970, which allows cities to establish ordinances to “regulate the construction, addition, alteration, repair, moving, excavation, and demolition of resources in historic districts within the limits of the local unit,” describes the following as reasons for historic preservation:

(a) Safeguard the heritage of the local unit by preserving 1 or more historic districts in

the local unit that reflect elements of the unit's history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.

(b) Stabilize and improve property values in each district and the surrounding areas.

(c) Foster civic beauty.

(d) Strengthen the local economy.

(e) Promote the use of historic districts for the education, pleasure, and welfare of the citizens of the local unit and of the state.” (§399.202)

The State of Michigan discontinued tax incentives for historic properties, but it is possible these incentives may be reinstated in the future.

The most important benefit is preserving Royal Oak history, both in neighborhoods as well as downtown (and perhaps spurring cultural heritage tourism). According to the Michigan Historic Preservation Network’s report published in 2016, there is also less of a possibility of demolition, as well as some economic benefit, such as higher actualized resale value. The Local Historic Districts Act of 1970, which allows cities to establish ordinances to “regulate the construction, addition, alteration, repair, moving, excavation, and demolition of resources in historic districts within the limits of the local unit,” describes the following as reasons for historic preservation:

(a) Safeguard the heritage of the local unit by preserving 1 or more historic districts in

the local unit that reflect elements of the unit's history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.

(b) Stabilize and improve property values in each district and the surrounding areas.

(c) Foster civic beauty.

(d) Strengthen the local economy.

(e) Promote the use of historic districts for the education, pleasure, and welfare of the citizens of the local unit and of the state.” (§399.202)

The State of Michigan discontinued tax incentives for historic properties, but it is possible these incentives may be reinstated in the future.

The most important benefit is preserving Royal Oak history, both in neighborhoods as well as downtown (and perhaps spurring cultural heritage tourism). According to the Michigan Historic Preservation Network’s report published in 2016, there is also less of a possibility of demolition, as well as some economic benefit, such as higher actualized resale value. The Local Historic Districts Act of 1970, which allows cities to establish ordinances to “regulate the construction, addition, alteration, repair, moving, excavation, and demolition of resources in historic districts within the limits of the local unit,” describes the following as reasons for historic preservation:

(a) Safeguard the heritage of the local unit by preserving 1 or more historic districts in

the local unit that reflect elements of the unit's history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.

(b) Stabilize and improve property values in each district and the surrounding areas.

(c) Foster civic beauty.

(d) Strengthen the local economy.

(e) Promote the use of historic districts for the education, pleasure, and welfare of the citizens of the local unit and of the state.” (§399.202)

The State of Michigan discontinued tax incentives for historic properties, but it is possible these incentives may be reinstated in the future.

Quite a bit of research, verification, and writing go into designating city properties as historic. The State requires a great deal of information and adherence to specific guidelines. (Consult the link to Local Historic Districts in Michigan manual for more information regarding everything that must go into the reports.) However, the HDSC cannot designate properties in Royal Oak as historic without owner permission. This is the first step. A property owner must first contact the HDSC and attend a meeting to request a study on the property, should they have a reasonable belief that their property meets a criterion/criteria for designation. The HDSC then conducts some research into the property to establish facts, and if enough is available, committee members visit the property to take measurements, photos, and observe documents or specific

features of the property. Research continues by the committee, who write a preliminary report following State guidelines. This preliminary report is sent to the State, City Planning Department, Mayor and City Commission. The State Historic Preservation Office must review the report (which could take six to eight weeks) and the HDSC must address any comments, and make additions or corrections before publishing the final report that is once again distributed to the State and City members. The Planning Department reads the report and meets with the HDSC to determine whether it recommends or disapproves of the study. If approved by the Planning Department, the report is forwarded to the City for their review at a City Commission meeting. When the City approves the historic designation, the property owner must be present at the meeting to verify their acceptance. Following this, the City Attorney prepares an ordinance regarding the property and the owner receives a copy of the final report for their records.

The HDSC charges a modest cost to cover the clerical work (primarily printing costs) involved in preparing the preliminary and final reports. If a property is designated historic, the property owner may choose to purchase approved official signage through the HDSC.

Changes to the interior, unless they affect the integrity of the exterior, do not require review, or approval by the Historic District Commission (HDC).

Changes to the exterior need to be addressed as follows:

• The request for change is taken to the Building Department at City Hall along with any contracts.

• The Building Department contacts the HDC chairperson.

• The HDC chairperson convenes its members, sets a date for review, and notifies the Building Department, who in turn, notifies the property owner of the date to attend this review. Contractors should be included.

• Following review and discussion, the HDC will vote to

1. Approve

2. Not approve

3. Partial approval

• Notification is given to the Building Department within the next business day.

• The HDC reports are the methods for noting changes in the historically designated properties for future reference.

To fill a vacant position, the Human Resources department will request a certification of the eligibility list. A certified list is an eligibility list that is signed by the Civil Service Board (Fire Civil Service Commission for firefighters) and contains those candidates who are eligible for employment. Candidates will be notified of their ranking on the newly approved certified eligibility list and candidate names are referred to the department with a vacancy.

Eligibility lists are generally active from 6 months to one year from the date of certification, and may be extended at the request of the Human Resources Director, and approval of the Civil Service Board.

Promotional eligibility lists are valid for 1 or 2 years, depending on the bargaining unit agreement covering the position.

No- civil service exams are specific to the job classification. E.g. if you take a civil service exam for Municipal Clerk I, then you would only be placed on the list for that particular classification. If another position opens like Municipal Clerk III, Cashier or Police Service Aide, you will have to apply for that job and take a civil service examination to be placed on that eligibility list as well.

In accordance with the Civil Service Personnel Rules, a department can select any person in the ten highest scores on the certified eligibility list. The department is entitled to consider 1 additional candidate for each additional vacancy with the same classification and department. For example, if there is one vacancy, the department may consider at least 10 candidates; if there are 2 vacancies, the department may consider at least 11 candidates, and so on. Because others get hired, or drop from the list for other reasons while the list is active, you could be one of the interviewees, even if you initially fall outside the top 10.

After candidates on a certification list advise the department that they are available to be considered for the job, the top 10 ranked candidates will participate in the department's internal selection process. In many cases a department's internal selection process is an interview sometimes supplemented with a practical test, at which time candidates can discuss their qualifications as they relate to the specific position being filled.

If you have applied for a position that is not covered by civil service rules, you are openly competing against both internal and external candidates based on recruitment standards set by the department with the vacancy, and the Human Resources department.

Suitability for the position may be determined using a multitude of ways, including additional application requirements such as a cover a letter or questionnaire, as well as practical and personality testing and one or more rounds of oral interviews.

Unless otherwise defined in your department's personnel rules or bargaining unit agreement (follow the chain of communication), you may contact human resources at any time. human resources can answer many questions about the contents of your pay, including rates of pay, special pays, deductions and expenses.

We kindly request that you contact human resources at x3070 or send us an email ahead of a visit to our office. Prior notice will allow us some time to research and prepare a proper response your question.

Please note that any requests for copies of pay stubs, annual tax statements such as W-2's, or retiree pay information must be directed to the Finance department.

To start we highly recommend you contact the finance department to confirm your retirement eligibility and receive additional guidance on the initial steps that need to be taken to place a request for approval with the retirement board. Finance will also be able to assist you with any questions regarding your final average compensation or post-retirements payments.

Human resources is happy to answer any questions you may have about your exit payment (the final payout you receive following the last day of employment) or post-retirement benefits.

If you are an active employee, you must change your tax withholdings with the human resources department. Forms can be downloaded and printed from the human resources/forms folder on the network share drive. If you do not have access to drive, you can also obtain them in our office, or get them directly from the IRS at the link below.

No, the city's human resources department has no involvement in personnel matters involving other organizations located in Royal Oak. This means we also have no direct personnel involvement in state (e.g. Michigan Secretary of State) or federal (e.g. the U.S. Postal Service) organizations, even if you work/worked for a branch office located in the city.

Contact the organization you work or have worked for with any questions pertaining to employment there.

Please contact Human Resources at 248-246-3070 and ask to speak to our Benefits Specialist. You will need to complete several steps, one of which is to submit a copy of the retiree's death certificate. Alternatively, you may also contact the city's Finance department first. Ultimately, both departments will have to communicate with you to ensure there is no possible loss of insurance coverage, or payment(s) to which the surviving family may be entitled, or over-payments made that would have to be repaid.

The ability to see pages on the intranet is determined by what group you are in. We have groups set up both by type of employment and department. For example, some departments have requested intranet pages to share information with their employees that is specific to their department. To avoid confusing employees for which this information is not relevant, we have limited the visibility of these pages.

The requirements for joining an employee team differ depending on the team. Some only require you to work it out with your department head while others have a short application process. Please reach out to the contact listed on each of the employee team pages for specifics on joining a particular team.

It depends. Coffee cups made of paper or cardboard can be put in the paper roll-carts, and plastic drinking cups may be placed in the commingled roll-carts. SOCRRA does not currently accept Styrofoam through its roll-cart recycling, so cups and containers made with Styrofoam will need to be placed in the trash. As with all food and beverage containers, we ask that you please empty them of liquid/food before placing them in the bins.

Recycling is collected from city hall on Thursday mornings. In order to ensure bins are out early enough for pick-up, the bins must be rolled out to the curb on Wednesday afternoon. During this short time, we ask that you either use the small bins in Room 309 or hold onto items until the bins are returned in the morning.

Recycling helps keep city waste disposal costs low; conserves resources for future generations, reduces the need to build new landfills, and saves energy by turning throw-away trash into new materials for new products. For every ton of recyclables collected and delivered to SOCRRA, the city earns $20 per ton, whereas the city pays to dispose of trash. Last year the city collected $165,000 from recycling revenue, and avoided $100,000 in disposal costs.

While these items may not be placed in the green roll-carts, SOCRRA will accept them at their drop-off center. If your department plans on purging a large number of these items, please call Kayla Barber-Perrotta at x3202 or Theresa Sobocinski at x3311. We will work with you to get some boxes for these items, and to set -up a delivery to SOCRRA.

SOCRRA stands for Southeastern Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority, and is a municipal corporation in which Royal Oak is a member. All of our recycling contracts are coordinated through SOCRRA and our recyclable materials go to their facility on Coolidge, just north of 14 Mile. SOCRRA Website

The United States Constitution guarantees all people, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status, the right to trial by an impartial jury. Justice ultimately depends to a large measure upon the quality of the jurors who serve in our courts and that's why you are important.

You are entitled to be excused as a juror if you: - Are over 70 years of age - Are a caretaker of a person who is an invalid - Can show a physical or mental impairment - Inability to comprehend or to communicate in EnglishIf you have a serious problem with the date you are scheduled to report, you may call the juror hotline at 246-3600 and ask for a postponement. If the judge does grant you a postponement, you will be given a new date to report, usually within 4-8 weeks. Since jury duty is a constitutional responsibility, requests for postponements are not taken lightly.

There are two basic types of cases; criminal and civil. - Criminal: A criminal case results when a person is accused of committing a crime. You, as a juror, must decide whether the person charged is guilty or not guilty. The accused person is presumed innocent, and the City or State, represented by a prosecutor, must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt . The verdict must be 6-0 (unanimous). - Civil Cases: A civil case results from a disagreement or dispute between two or more parties. In a civil case, you, as a juror, must answer questions of disputed facts based upon the testimony and evidence admitted by the Judge. The answers to these questions are called the verdict. In civil cases, 5 out of 6 must agree on the verdict.

Your juror notice will give you a phone number (246-3646) that you are asked to call two working days before the trial is to begin. When you call this number you will hear a recorded announcement instructing you to either call back the next day after 5 pm or where and what time to report for jury selection.

You need to have official identification showing your name and permanent address. We won't make copies of it, but we do need to see the following:

Your Michigan driver’s license or State of Michigan ID card with current residential address. (Post Office boxes are not accepted as valid addresses.) -or-

A picture ID with proof of residency shown by two of the following items: utility bill; copy of lease or mortgage; copy of property tax statement; rent receipt showing address; car registration. (At least one of these items must be dated within the past 12 months.)

If you are under 18 years of age and are not an emancipated minor, you must have the signature of your parent or guardian on the application cards in order to be issued a card. If your parent or guardian is not a current ROPL library card holder, they must show the same proofs of residency listed above.

You may use your card at any of the 50 libraries in the TLN network: https://tln.lib.mi.us/md. There are also some "standalone" libraries where you can use your card: Baldwin, Bloomfield Township, Canton, Clarkston, Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Howell Carnegie, Northfield Township, Orion Township, Pinckney, Plymouth, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak Township, St. Clair County Library, Saline, Southfield, West Bloomfield Township, Westland, and Ypsilanti. We have a reciprocal borrowing agreement with Troy Public Library as well. But wait, there's more! If you ask for a MI Library Card sticker for your card, you have access to even more libraries in Michigan: http://milibrarycard.org/partcipating.html. Please call or visit any of these libraries if you are interested in utilizing these great resources.

You may have up to 15 unfilled holds on your account. Any holds that are waiting for you on the shelf do not count towards your limit of 15. Also, your holds will stay on the shelf for seven (7) days, so make sure you get them before they're gone!

The 2018 Royal Oak Area Preschool and Child Care Directory provides information on over 40 area facilities which includes area preschools, child care programs, K-8, educational approaches, special needs programs and specialty programs.

When one of the following holidays falls on a weekday, collection for the remaining days of the week will be delayed one day. Holidays are official holidays, not City-observed holidays. Trash pickup is not affected when a holiday falls on a weekend. Trash pickup is not affected for any holidays not listed below.

• New Years Day• Memorial Day• Independence Day• Labor Day• Thanksgiving (delayed Thursday and Friday only*)• Christmas Day*Thursday waste is picked up on Friday, and Friday waste is picked up on Saturday. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are picked up on the scheduled day.

The City of Royal Oak was approached by the late Jeffrey Surnow with an idea to reinvent the current site of the City Hall and police station with a mixed-use office building and downtown park. Unfortunately, Mr. Surnow passed away before he could present his final plan to the city. Undeterred, his sons partnered with the Boji Group to try and bring the project back to life. They formed the Central Park Development Group (CPDG) and approached the city with a much larger plan, incorporating the office and park elements of Jeff Surnow’s initial proposal, with a solution for the city’s needs: a new police station and City Hall, which would be located inside the office building.

As the discussions progressed, the city retained Plante Moran CRESA (PMC) as its real estate advisor to vet the details of the proposal and to perform a feasibility study of the city’s current hall and police station. This study concluded that the current City Hall and police facilities were functionally obsolete.

In early 2017, the city made the decision to pursue a standalone building for City Hall operations. It also decided that the city would assume development and management of the city-owned portions of the project.

After presenting proposed terms for a development agreement between the city and CPDG to the public on June 26, 2017, the commission released outside counsel to draft a development agreement that memorialized those terms. The resulting development agreement was presented to the commission on August 28, 2017 and unanimously approved.

The city completed bond financing for the project in May 2018, and the new city-owned parking garage broke ground in June 2018. It is anticipated the new police station will break ground in July 2018, and the new City Hall will break ground in late August or early September of 2018. All three buildings will be complete in 2019.

The public design process for the downtown park is being led by the city’s Downtown Park Task Force. It is currently soliciting ideas from the public. This is the last element of the project and will be constructed and completed in 2020.

City leaders and staff worked hard to bring this project to fruition without increasing costs to residents. Through sound fiscal management and a strategic approach, the city has been able to leverage its AA credit rating to secure bonds to fund the project which will be paid for using existing revenues. Simply put, the city has planned and budgeted for the project in a way that will not require any new taxes or funding increases.

Yes! A landscape architect was hired to solicit feedback from the community using focus groups, town halls, etc., so that the park represents what the entire community wants, like the Normandy Oaks project. This engagement process is being led by the Downtown Park Task Force. Its next meeting is June 28, 2018.

Both the City Hall and the police station were built nearly six decades ago and have numerous problems. The work required is too extensive and expensive to repair these buildings, according to a study commissioned from Plante Moran CRESA. The buildings were not designed for the kinds of uses the city needs today and in the future.

The new City Hall will serve as a functioning space to conduct all city operations and help improve customer service for Royal Oak residents. The new building will place related functions together to encourage more collaboration amongst departments and to serve the public more efficiently. It will provide a community room on the first floor available to residents, with improved audio and video quality for city meetings. The new buildings will reduce energy costs, provide new and improved meeting spaces, viable heating and AC systems and ADA compliance.

No! The Williams Street lots had 221 parking spaces, and the new City Hall and police station are eliminating 169 spaces. This loss of 390 spaces is offset by the construction of the new 581 space parking structure along 11 Mile Road. Additionally, the City of Royal Oak opened a new parking structure at Center and Second streets in January 2018; this added another 550 parking spaces downtown.

The City of Royal Oak recognizes the importance of handicap parking throughout Downtown Royal Oak. All parking lots and structures throughout the city have handicap parking spaces and are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The city has transformed the once private lot between the Library and City Hall to a public parking lot with four handicap parking spaces. Two additional handicap spaces were added in the Lot P2.

As with all city parking garages, the new 581 space structure will also include handicap spaces.

Lease negotiations are confidential, but the city has seen extreme growth since the project was announced. New tenants on Main Street include Freshii, Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters, Milan Pizzeria, Taco Bell Cantina, Gogi Seoul Kitchen, and City Ramen, with additional announcements coming soon.

When the city was first approached by Jeffrey Surnow, about three years ago, he expressed his vision for a mixed-use office building and/or hotel fronting a downtown park. The city was attracted to his history as someone who always looked to harmonize the commercial elements of a development with urban green spaces. At the time, the city had not decided where it would relocate current city and police operations, although the city was moving forward under the assumption that municipal buildings were not the best use for this site.

Sadly, Mr. Surnow passed away that spring, and there were no developments on the project until later that summer, when Mr. Surnow’s sons, Sam and Max, partnered with the Boji Group to try and bring the plan back into fruition. This new partnership, Central Park Development Group, is the entity of which most of the public is now familiar. They came back to the city with a much larger plan, incorporating the office and park elements of Jeff Surnow’s initial proposal, with a solution for the city’s needs: a new police station and a new City Hall, which would be located in the office building. This marriage of public and private was based upon a similar structure used for the State Senate offices in Lansing.

As discussions with this developer became more serious, the city retained Plante Moran CRESA (PMC) as its real estate advisor to vet the details of the proposal. Plante Moran has a long and distinguished history with large scale development projects, and in particular, municipal projects. They’ve been side-by-side with the city, not only examining the details of this particular project, but offering guidance to alternatives when the project would hit a roadblock. PMC was also tasked with performing a feasibility study on the city’s current City Hall and police station. Was it a viable alternative to invest in our current facilities instead of pursuing new ones? Their conclusion was no, citing that both buildings were functionally obsolete.

Locating City Hall within a speculative office building presented many legal and, to some extent, financial challenges, and we - the developer and the city - made the mutual decision to pursue a standalone building for City Hall operations. When this decision was made, the city also decided shortly thereafter that it was in its best interest to assume management and control of the city-owned portions of the project. That decision was made in April, and that is where the project currently stands.

The city is pursuing the development of a new police station (which is very deep into the design development process - nearly complete), a new City Hall, a downtown park, which hasn’t entered any stage of the design development process, and a parking structure. It is anticipated to close on its bond financing for the project in late 2017 or January 2018 A comprehensive overview of the project can be found here .

The private office building is solely being developed by CPDG.

On June 26, 2017, the commission released outside counsel to draft a development agreement that memorializes these terms into a development agreement. This development agreement was presented to the commission on August 28, 2017 and unanimously approved.

As summarized at the commission’s June 21, 2017 public work session, CPDG’s involvement with what has become known as the Royal Oak Civic Center (ROCC) project has drastically changed since the first public special meeting dedicated to the ROCC proposal was held on April 18, 2016. The city is no longer contemplating contracting with CPDG to perform the master development obligations for the city-owned projects in the ROCC (a new city hall, a new police department, a new parking deck and a new downtown park), nor is the city contemplating placing its operations into CPDG’s proposed private office building. As it stands today, CPDG’s sole responsibility would be construction of its proposed $37.8 million, 128,000 sf (rentable) office building, and the city would be responsible for the construction of the new police station, city hall, parking deck and downtown park. This structure is reflected in the proposed term sheet.

A term sheet was provided and presented to the public on June 26, 2017. The term sheet seeks financial assistance from the city and outlines a schedule by which the city and/or Downtown Development Authority (DDA) would recoup this investment. Given that a significant gap exists between the cost of construction of new office buildings in Southeast Michigan and the market rental rates the region commands, the request was expected. It is anticipated that the market rental rate for CPDG’s proposed building is approximately $30/sf, a rate has been verified by numerous commercial real estate firms in Southeast Michigan, as well as the city’s real estate consultants on this project, Plante Moran CRESA (PMC).

PMC analyzed CPDG’s design development package and verified to the extent possible the accuracy of the assumptions represented therein to determine the financial gap between what the building would cost and what rents the building could reasonably command. That gap was identified between $5 million and $10 million.

The chief difficulty with constructing a speculative office building is financing, and city discussions with CPDG and its lender focused upon the minimum amount the city could provide that, in addition to CPDG’s equity, would secure financing. That figure was identified at $5.5 million, the low end of CPDG’s financial gap and the request made in the proposed term sheet.

A summary of the financial investment being asked of the city is as follows:

The city shall deposit $5.5 million in escrow with the lender simultaneous with CPDG’s equity of $8.5 million. All of CPDG’s funds are to be used first, the city funds shall be used second, and the funds from CPDG’s lender shall be used last.

The city-owned land will be conveyed to CPDG for $1.00 at the time of closing (approximate value estimated at $900,000).

Potential tenants may request incentives from the DDA, but this is not part of the development agreement

In return, CPDG has agreed to the following in return for the city’s investment:

A reconciliation of the DDA portion of the taxes at year 8 for 50% ($2.75 million) of the city’s cash investment and year 15 at 100%, so that the DDA itself is guaranteed to receive at least $5.5 million in tax revenues over 15 years. If there are any shortfalls at year 8 or year 15, CPDG shall pay the difference to the city.

A reconciliation at year 10 for the total city contribution (cash and land) and year 20 on the total taxes paid by the office building inclusive of local and state schools. At the end of year 20, if the total taxes paid by the office building are not a minimum of $12,800,000, CPDG shall pay the shortfall and any such shortfall in the total tax amount would only be paid to the city.

CPDG shall provide financing for the total cost of its project simultaneous with closing on city bond financing

Personal Guaranty for completion of construction of the office building would be provided by Ron Boji and Sam Surnow

On June 26, 2017, the commission released outside counsel to draft a development agreement that memorializes these terms into a development agreement. Upon completion of this development agreement, the commission will be asked to provide the final vote in the affirmative or negative for the project. It is anticipated this agreement will be before the commission in late August or early September 2017.

Each of the buildings has numerous problems that could be repaired. However, the work required is so extensive as to approach the cost of replacement according to a study commissioned from Plante Moran Cresa which is available on the city’s website. They found both buildings “functionally obsolete.”

Neither building was designed for the kind of use the city needs from it today and in the future. They were built for a time when manual typewriters and carbon paper were considered high tech. This is especially problematic in the police department which simply doesn’t have room for the equipment it needs today.

City Hall wasn’t even designed to be a City Hall, or even an office building to begin with. The architect modified a plan he already had for a school building. According to one of our local historians, the plans were given to the city free of charge. One look at the overall design of the building -- the extra wide hallways and stairwells -- and it’s clear it was modeled after a school. It’s broken up into a lot of small spaces separated by load bearing walls. It even has a central clock system which quit working after the most recent flood.

Unfortunately, what makes for a good school design does not make for a good City Hall. This building simply does not work well and it never did. Renovating it would make it look better and might solve the heating, cooling, and electrical problems but it wouldn’t make it work better. It would still be an extremely poor design.

There is a logistical problem too. Renovating would require moving all of the employees to another location while the renovations are done, then moving them back. There isn’t a suitable facility in Royal Oak to serve as a temporary City Hall. The city would probably end up renting portable office trailers and putting them in the parking lot.

Finally, the aspect of this project that seems to have the most overwhelming public support is the downtown park. It’s also the amenity that makes the private office development most attractive. The park is planned for the location of the current city hall and police building. If City Hall operations don’t move, there is not a place for the park.

The site under consideration would front a new downtown park, located directly east of Troy St. Once the decision was made to pursue a standalone building, many alternatives were considered on the overall site. There isn’t a portion of the site that wasn’t considered. The city even (briefly) looked at placing it in the proposed parking structure.

Ultimately, the commission voted in January on its current placement, which adds a dynamic element to the park while reinforcing the civic aspect to the overall site plan.

With approximately 100 people in the ROPD and another 100 people in the City Hall departments, the building would need to be approximately 65,000 to 75,000 square feet.

Given the limitations of horizontal space on city-owned sites without taking up too much parking, a combined building would have to be vertical and a minimum 4 to 5 stories tall. Due to the requirements of separating public and police activities, for security reasons, this type of building would require additional square footage and have multiple stairwells and elevators above and beyond what would be required by code, adding significant cost of the project. This is why two separate buildings types are being proposed for the city of Royal Oak. All the operation efficiencies the city is hoping to achieve will be lost if it starts adding levels.

A combined location works much better in a rural environment where land is available and you can go horizontal instead of vertical.

The idea of a new civic center campus isn’t new. Over the years, the city has explored sites inside and outside of the central business district (CBD), including but not limited to the former school administration building and the senior center site. In the end, the preferred option by multiple city commissions and stakeholders has been to create a civic center area in the downtown.

There are many reasons why a downtown civic center is attractive in a traditional city:

Many efficiencies are realized when City Hall is close to the police station, courts and business community.

It is the city commission's goal to increase office space and the number of office users in downtown Royal Oak in order to provide daytime customers for our retailers and restaurants. City Hall is a mid-sized office building with about 100 employees and functions. It draws many people downtown to support local restaurants and shopping. To move it elsewhere would work against the needs of our downtown and our established goal.

Our current downtown location is a principle attraction for many of our employees and prospective employees. A location outside of the CBD would make it harder to attract and retain staff.

The city does not own land outside of the CBD that would be economically feasible to construct a new office building with the requisite parking requirements for 100 employees.

At no point was it considered to develop a building upon dedicated park land or to incur acquisition and/or demolition costs to develop on a private parcel that we would have to purchase. Doing so would add significantly to the cost of the project and would require displacing active businesses, which would also be in direct contravention to the commission's goals.

There is no such thing as free parking. It will cost the city about $25,000 per space to build a parking structure, and that is without adjusting for the spaces that were already there. In Royal Oak, parking has always been paid for with parking system revenue. The city does not use city tax revenue for parking. One way or another, the city will need to increase parking revenue. That can be done by increasing fees, or it can be done with a special parking assessment on properties in the Central Business District, which are not required to provide their own parking, or with a combination of the two. The city has always used parking fees in the past to finance parking in Royal Oak. Birmingham uses both fees and special assessments.

The DDA serves as the city’s parking committee, and it has created a subcommittee to look at how the city should be paying for parking. That could lead to the use of special assessments in the future.

Current rates are extremely low. Anyone who spends anytime in downtown Detroit is well aware of this. The rate in the garage at Woodward and State Street is $5/hour. The city of Royal Oak charges .75/hour and the first two hours are free.

The city will spend another $900,000 on construction management and about $581,000 on bond issuance costs.

All of these numbers are estimates. No portion of the project has been bid yet. That said, the numbers for the police building are based on detailed plans, whereas the numbers for City Hall are based on standard construction costs per square foot. The city does not have plans for City Hall yet. The parking structure is very similar to the one the city currently has under construction, and the city has recent bids on it that verify the standard cost estimate.

The parking system will bear the full cost of the parking structure and receive all of the revenue it earns. The city will probably use revenue bonds as with the new structure at Center St and 11 Mile. Revenue bonds only pledge the revenue of the parking system, not tax revenue, as security to the bond holders.

The annual debt service on the other three components is estimated at $2.4 million per year for 25 years. The city manager is recommending the DDA pick up the debt service on the park, which is estimated at $737,000. That leaves about $1.6 million to the general fund for City Hall and the police building. That sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but the city’s OPEB and pension bond issue is saving the city $2.5 million per year, the new buildings will have lower utility and maintenance costs, and will reduce staffing needs.

The type of bond the city will issue is called a “limited tax general obligation bond.” That means bondholders have a claim on existing (already authorized) taxes and other revenue, but the city cannot issue any additional taxes to pay the debt service. In other words, there will be no tax increase as a result of this project.

The construction will be bid, as with every city project. The city has taken full control over the construction of the police building, city hall building, parking structure and park. It no longer has a developer involved in the city portions of the project. The developer is only building its office building, not the city facilities. With the city in control, Royal Oak will follow its normal processes for bidding construction work.

When it became clear that this project was a serious possibility, the city retained Plante Moran Cresa, whose wealth of knowledge in this arena supercedes any of city staff’s. PMC has worked on dozens of municipal projects in SE Michigan, and it is currently coordinating the District Detroit arena development in downtown Detroit. PMC has been the city’s eyes and ears in not only vetting the current proposal, but also bringing alternative ideas, footprints, floor plans, etc. As this project has evolved over the course of the last three years, every decision that has been made has been made publicly, and usually followed by significant media coverage. Certainly, the city was aware of the feedback of many in the community when it was evaluating whether to locate future operations into an office building.

A landscape architect has just been hired to solicit feedback from our community – focus groups, town halls, etc. – so that the park represents what the entire community wants. This public engagement process should begin sometime this fall.

The park will be built using bond money. The city is asking the DDA to agree to pay the debt service costs on the park.

The city does not have a design for the park yet. It has just selected a landscape architect who will design this park and Normandy Oaks. It is impossible to speculate what amenities will be placed in the park. Unless we install something requiring very high maintenance -- a swimming pool or ice skating rink with ice making equipment -- basic costs will be mowing and landscape maintenance.

This development is projected to result in a net increase in available parking spaces because the project includes a parking structure with 450 new spaces. (See table below.)

The office building tenants will use a great deal of those spaces between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, they will use very few in the evenings and weekends, which is when the city has a parking shortfall in the area. The city will gain parking during the hours that it needs more parking evenings and on the weekends.

Impact of Proposed City Hall and Police Building on Farmers Market Parking

Existing Parking Lot

Spaces when city bought farmer's market

217

Spaces prior to 2015 addition

338

Spaces today

428

Impact of Proposed Police Building

Spaces lost for building

(84)

New spaces in police lot

36

Net change due to Police Building

(48)

Impact of Proposed City Hall

Spaces lost for building

(85)

Spaces used by city vehicles

(22)

Additional parking on Troy Street

50

Net change due to City Hall

(57)

Impact of New Parking Structure

Spaces planned in new structure

450

Spaces lost in library lot

(116)

Spaces lost in City Hall lot

(115)

Spaces needed on weekend mornings by office bld.

(25)

Net additional parking from structure

194

Net Change in Farmers Market Parking

Net increase in available parking over current

89

Total number of spaces

517

Percentage increase over current

20.8%

Percentage increase over 2015

53.0%

Percentage increase over original

138.2%

If Downtown Development Authority Adds Two Floors

DDA will consider adding one or two floors at DDA expense to the structure. Assuming two:

Additional parking spaces

225

Net Increase in available parking over current

314

Total number of spaces

742

Percentage increase over current

73.4%

Percentage increase over 2015

119.5%

Percentage increase over original

241.9%

Impact on surface parking (not including parking structure spaces)

Spaces Today

428

Police Net

(48)

City Hall Net

(57)

Put city vehicles in structure on weekends

22

Net change

(83)

Total spaces available

345

Percentage reduction from current

-19.4%

Percentage increase over 2015

2.1%

Percentage increase over original

59.0%

Surface parking would be reduced from current by 19% but overall parking would increase by as much as 73%

This is more surface parking than the city had at the market in 2015 and an almost 120% increase in total parking.

This is 59% more surface parking than the city had when it took over the market and a 242% increase in total parking.

Note: This analysis is not including other near by privately owned parking lots and structure or other city owned lots and structures. The Emagine facility is less than two blocks away. The Center Street structures are only three blocks away. The city also has other nearby surface lots. This is closer than many, if not most, Eastern Market customers park.

All of the city’s parking lots and garages provide handicapped parking spaces in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The ADA does not require existing facilities to be modified to meet the current act requirements until changes are made. That is why the city can have a current City Hall and police building that do not meet ADA standards. The new buildings will at least meet current standards.

Contact the Department of Public Service during regular working hours (Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.) at 248-246-3300, and the Police Department anytime thereafter at 248-246-3500. The Police Department will then contact a Sewer Department representative to respond to your emergency. If the problem exists in the main sewer line, a crew will be dispatched to clear the line. If the problem is determined to be in the property owner's sewer line, the owner will be advised by the sewer representative to contact either a plumber or a sewer cleaning company.

The property owner is responsible for their sewer service lead all the way from the home or building to the main sewer, including the connection to the main sewer. The City is responsible for the maintenance of the main sewer line only.

The answer is yes if any one of the following statements are true: - The defendant is a business that has its principal place of business in the City of Royal Oak. - A person was injured or personal property was damaged in the city of Royal Oak. - A defendant signed or entered into a contract in the City of Royal Oak, a contract of obligation was to be performed in the City of Royal Oak, or the defendant was a corporation and the contract was breached in the City of Royal Oak.

- $30 - If the claim you are filing is for $600 or less. - $50 - If the claim is for between $600 and $1,750. - $70 - If the claim is for between $1,750 and $6,000. NOTE: The maximum will increase to $6,500 January 1, 2021 - $10 - If you want us to mail the papers by Certified Mail. - $20.00+ - If you want our Court Officer to personally serve the papers. This fee varies depending on where the defendant lives. Note: If the Judge/Magistrate rules in your favor, then costs (including those listed above) will be added to your claim at the time of the Judgment and the Defendant will be responsible for reimbursing you for those costs.

- If the defendant has the money and is present at the hearing, he/she can pay you at that time. - If the defendant does not have the money at that time, and both parties agree, the Judge/Magistrate can set up a payment plan. - If the defendant does not pay the judgement as ordered, there are two procedures available to you: execution against property and garnishment.

An execution allows a court officer to seize property belonging to the defendant which can be sold to pay your judgment. To file an execution against property, you may pick up a copy of the form (MC 19) at the court clerk's window. Also available online. In order to do this however, you will have to wait 21 days after your small claims judgement was signed, pay a nominal fee, and need to know where the defendant lives and what assets he/she may have. For the online form please visit the Michigan Courts Website.

A garnishment allows you to collect your judgment by garnishing the defendant's wages, bank accounts, or other sources such as income tax refunds. You first must wait 21 days after your small claims judgment was signed before you pick up the form at the court clerk's window. Before you may do this however, you will need to know where the defendant works, where his/her assets are located, what bank/credit union the defendant uses, etc.

Summer property taxes are due in the Treasurer’s Office by 4:30 p.m. on July 31. Winter property taxes are due in the Treasurer’s Office by 4:30 p.m. on February 14. Please verify the due date on your current tax statement, as the City of Royal Oak does not accept postmarks.

There is also a 24-hour drop box located to the right of the Royal Oak City Hall front entrance. However, drop box payments received after 4:30 p.m. on the last business day of July will be considered received on the first business day of August. All unpaid taxes belong to Oakland County as of March 1.

Property tax information is now available online for free. First time users will need to register by choosing “Register” option from the drop down list under “Currently not signed in” tab in the upper right hand corner of the web page. You will be able to search tax, utility billing, special assessment, miscellaneous receivable and building permit information on this website.

The Treasurer’s Office can provide you with a copy of your paid tax bill. There is a $1 fee per page. If you’d like to avoid this fee, simply visit the AccessMyGov website, linked below. First time users will need to register by choosing “Register” option from the drop down list under “Currently not signed in” tab in the upper right hand corner of the web page. You will be able to search tax, utility billing, special assessment, miscellaneous receivable and building permit information on this website.

The summer tax bill is distributed to several entities: State of Michigan (education), Oakland Community College, Oakland Intermediate Schools (allocated and voted), local schools (allocated and voted), county operating, city operating, and all voted millages (currently refuse, fire, library and publicity).

The winter tax bill is distributed to Oakland County Parks and Recreation, Huron Clinton Metro Authority and the Oakland County Public Transit Authority.

A basic knowledge of these terms will help you better understand Michigan property tax law.

Assessed Value - The assessed value helps determine market value. Set by the assessor, the Assessed Value when multiplied by two will give an approximate market value of the property. The assessor is constitutionally required to set the assessed value at 50% of the usual selling price or True Cash Value of the property.

State Equalized Value (SEV) – SEV is the Assessed Value that has been adjusted following county and state equalization. The County Board of Commissioners and the Michigan State Tax Commission must review local assessments and adjust (equalize) them if they are above or below the constitutional 50% level of assessment.

Taxable Value – Taxable value divided by 1,000 times the local millage rate will determine your tax liability. Taxable value increases from year to year by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is lower. Transfers of ownership and improvements to the property will increase the Taxable Value more than the rate of inflation.

To insure properties are assessed uniformly and at 50% of market value, the assessor uses a two year sales study that is provided by the Oakland County Equalization Department. A sales study is an analysis of the sales price of the property compared to its SEV.

The sales are then organized by economic neighborhoods by the assessor. An economic neighborhood can be a single subdivision or a grouping of subdivisions with similar characteristics. If the sales in a certain economic neighborhood indicate an increase or decrease then all of the properties in that economic neighborhood will be changed by what the sales have indicated. This insures all properties are assessed at 50% of market value.

On March 15, 1994, Michigan voters approved the constitutional amendment known as Proposal A. The Taxable Value was created as a part of this legislation. Taxable Value, or the figure which millage would be multiplied against, can only increase each year by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is lower. The Taxable Value on the property is said to be "Capped" if the property owner has not had any additions or losses on the property or did not purchase it in the preceding year.

The legislators who wrote and put Proposal A on the ballot intended to put a cap on the value of the property so that taxpayers wouldn’t be as affected by a robust housing market and a significant increase in valuation. The intention was to tie the increase in valuation to the inflation rate so that it would be more affordable for and would benefit those residents who intended to remain at their properties for longer periods of time.

The Taxable Value is required by the Michigan Constitution to increase each year by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is lower. However, taxes can increase above this amount if the citizens of Royal Oak have voted for any special revenues, such as a school improvement bond or the city library millage.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a yes or no answer to that question. If you’ve owned your property for a significant amount of time, more than likely your State Equalized Value (SEV) far exceeds your Taxable Value. If this is the case, a decrease in valuation, caused by a cooling real estate market, will be reflected in the SEV. In the case of a longtime property owner, the SEV could decrease, while the Taxable Value will increase.

In the previous scenario, yes you would. The Taxable Value will change by the inflationary rate, - 0.03% for 2010. This figure multiplied by the local unit’s millage rate will determine your new property tax liability.

Proposal A allowed many residents to pay property taxes on less than half of their market value by "capping" the Taxable Value, while still allowing the assessor to determine the market value by adjusting the SEV. This has caused, for many property owners, a great disparity between the SEV figure and the Taxable Value figure. The assessor can reduce the SEV to reflect the change in property value, but if the Taxable Value is still well below the SEV, it will change by the inflation rate until the two figures meet. Taxes are based on Taxable Value; therefore, you may end up with a tax increase if there is a positive inflation rate.

If a property’s value decreases each year, the SEV will eventually meet the Taxable Value. The Taxable Value cannot exceed the SEV. When this happens, decreases in SEV will cause decreases in Taxable Value, which will then lower your property tax liability. Due to the gap between the SEV and Taxable Value figures, it would take several years of depressed market conditions to make the SEV and Taxable Value equal.

If you happen to be a property owner who purchased a property in the last few years and you have decreasing property value, the SEV and Taxable Value figures could meet sooner than someone who has owned the property for a long period of time.

If you own and occupy a home on your property before May 1 last year, you are entitled to a Principal Residence Exemption. This will result in a credit on your summer tax statement. On the Assessment Notice, the exemption will be illustrated by a 100.00% (homestead) if you are eligible or a 0.00% (non-homestead) if you are not. You are only entitled to one Principal Residence Exemption in or out of the State of Michigan. A property owner will pay a lower millage rate on their primary residence (approximately 15 mills less than a non-homestead property).

Every property owner has the right to appeal their assessments. However, the opportunity only comes once a year and if the opportunity is missed, there isn’t another opportunity for that year. Your yearly Assessment Change Notice will provide you with the dates and times for the March Board of Review.

If you wish to contest your assessment, you must make an appointment to appeal to the March Board of Review. A nonresident may protest to the Board of Review by a letter that is accompanied by a completed Board of Review petition. Protest at the March Board of Review is necessary to protect your right to further appeals to the Michigan Tax Tribunal for valuation and exemption appeals. In other words, the Michigan Tax Tribunal will not hear cases that have not first been before the local March Board of Review.

One mill is equal to $1 per each $1,000 in Taxable Value. If you recently purchased a home use one half of the purchase price as your Taxable Value. For example, if your Taxable Value is 90,440 and the millage rate it 35.5836, your tax would be approximately $3,218.18 (90,440 x 35.5836 / 1000).

Generally the answer is no. Bills are sent to "Water Customer" not to a specifically named person and residential water service is not turned off unless specifically requested. However, if you find that you do not have water service after occupying the home, please contact the Water Billing Department to schedule an appointment to have the water service turned on.

It is a good idea to check with the Water Billing Department to verify that the previous owner has requested a final water bill. We can tell you the amount billed to the prior owner for water use as well as whether this amount has been paid. If a final bill has not been requested, we can tell you what is required in order for a final bill to be generated.

The first step is to make sure that it was read properly. Compare the current read on your bill to the first four numbers on your meter. If the read on the meter is higher than the read on the bill – your meter was read correctly.

Your next step is to check for leaks. First rule out any obvious suspects. Do you have a faucet that has been dripping continuously for months or did you fix a running toilet a couple weeks ago? Any kind of water leak will increase your water usage and therefore your bill. Your meter can help you identify if you have a leak. Some of the newer meters have a leak detector that will clearly indicate if you have a leak.

With any type of meter you can do a three hour water test. At the beginning of a three-four hour stretch write down all of the numbers on your meter even the ones after the decimal point. For the next 3 - 4 hours refrain from using any water at the property. After three hours look at your meter again – compare the numbers. If any of the numbers have changed there is a leak somewhere on the property.

Water is a closed system. If everything is off the way it should be nothing can move in the pipes and the meter can only register usage when water passes through it. If water is passing through the meter is has to be going somewhere. Toilets are our biggest suspects.

If you’ve heard anything suspicious from a toilet – even if you think it’s nothing, there is a good chance that toilet is leaking. You can test your toilets during your three hour meter test – or any time by coloring the water in the tank (back) of the toilet. Leave that toilet alone for at least three hours. If after that time any of the color from the tank has leached into the bowl – that toilet is leaking.

If you have performed these tests and still can’t identify the problem give us a call at 248-246-3160.

The city recognizes Service Line Warranties of America as a preferred company for water and sewer line insurance. Homeowners are responsible for any issues related to the sewer up to the connection to the city main line and water line running from their house to the curb stop (typically located between the sidewalk and street). Repairs on these lines can be costly.

Insurance for the water line and the sewer line can be purchased through Service Line Warranties of America and other companies. For any questions related to this insurance please contact Service Line Warranties of America directly at 1-866-425-6223 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit their website.

You may contact the Water Billing Department 248-246-3160 with any questions. Please have your current meter reading when calling. To obtain the current reading simply read the six digits on the face of the meter, from left to right. Or if the meter is an older style dial meter, begin with the largest numbered dial, reading each subsequent dial. If the dial is between two numbers, always read the lowest number.

Residential water bills are prepared quarterly. The exact billing period will depend on the area the resident lives in. Each quarterly bill is mailed approximately three weeks after the meter is read and is due 24 days later.

If a resident should have a water problem after normal working hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) or on a weekend or holiday, they should call the Police Department's non-emergency line at 248-246-3500.

There are a couple of conditions that could cause the water to appear cloudy and/or rusty. Whenever there is a large draw of water from the water main, such as broken water mains, hydrant flushing or Fire Department use, the mineral deposits that have accumulated within the interior of the water main get stirred up and become suspended particles, thus producing the discoloration in the water. This condition will not last.

Residents should run the cold water faucet closest to the meter (usually located in the basement) for 10 - 15 seconds. If the water is not clear, please wait 30 - 45 minutes and try again. Repeat this process until clear. Please do not run hot water or do any wash while water is discolored. If the water does not clear in a reasonable amount of time, contact the Department of Public Service at 248-246-3300.

It is important that a minimum of 20 Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) is provided throughout our water distribution system in the occasion for the necessity to fight fires. In the summer months, especially during hot spells, water usage is extremely high. Occasionally, the demand exceeds the supply, thus dropping the water pressure substantially. When this becomes a possibility, the water-rationing ordinance is put into effect, ensuring appropriate water pressure for firefighting and public health.

High demand is the principal cause of low water pressure and usually occurs during the summer months. Additional causes that can contribute to low water pressure may be due to undetected broken water mains, broken water services, poor internal piping, particles in the screen of faucets, etc.

If the reason for the cloudy and/or rusty appearance in the water is caused from the reasons stated in the previous answer, then yes, the water is safe to drink. However, if you have concerns, you may boil the water prior to use.

Backflow, within the context of the drinking water industry, means the reversal of water flow from its normal or intended direction of flow. Whenever a water utility connects a customer to its water distribution system, the intention is for the water to flow from the distribution system to the customer. However, it is possible, and quite common, for the flow to be reversed and the flow from the customer’s plumbing system can back up into the public water distribution system. If cross-connections exist within the user’s plumbing system when backflow occurs, then it is possible to contaminate the public water system.

Backflow may occur simply because the public water system lost pressure. Backflow, reversal of flow from its normal direction, is usually caused by a back pressure or backsiphonage. It is a condition that manifests itself when the water pressure within an establishment’s plumbing system exceeds that of the water distribution system supplying it. This back pressure might be caused by a difference in elevation, a pump, a steam boiler or other means.

Back pressure or Backsiphonage may occur when the water pressure within the distribution system falls below that of the plumbing system it is supplying. This may happen due to a fire department pumper truck as it needs to pump water out of the distribution system faster than the water treatment plant equipment can replace it. Also, the water rushing downhill due to a broken water main might create a partial vacuum on some plumbing systems connected in the vicinity of the break and cause a backsiphonage or, perhaps, simply flushing the water pipes to clean them may cause this phenomenon.

Yes, in the old days many disease epidemics were caused by cross-connections between potable water systems and raw river water or lake water piping systems. Epidemics of typhoid and cholera were often caused by backflow occurrences from these sources. People died or became very ill as a result of these outbreaks. A few of the contaminants caused by cross-connections are:

Modern technology has provided us with new tools to prevent backflow from non-potable sources into our public water systems. They are called backflow prevention assemblies; reduced pressure (RP) or double check valve (DC)-type. Unlike the older accepted, non-testable hardware for preventing backflow such as swing check valves, dual check valves and atmospheric vacuum breakers (which still have their applications), the RP and DC-type backflow prevention assemblies are testable to assure they are in proper working order. Placed at the site of the cross-connection they can protect the plumbing system from contamination. Placed just downstream of a water meter to an establishment, they can protect the public water system from any contamination that may occur within the entire establishment’s plumbing system.

The City of Royal Oak is required under Public Act 399, Part 14, to maintain a cross connection control program to identify and eliminate any possible connections that could contaminate the public water system.

To fully comply with this state mandate, the city has contracted with HydroCorp of Troy, MI to assist with facilitating a Cross Connection Control Program.

Yard waste may be placed in 32-gallon trash cans, clearly labeled with a “yard waste” decal facing the street, so it can be easily spotted for pickup. Free yard waste decals are available at the DPS office on Campbell Road and at City Hall. Yard waste may also be placed in a 30-gallon paper yard waste bag, available at most stores.

Containers and bags cannot weigh more than 50 pounds each. Plastic bags are not acceptable.

Royal Oak residents can bring up to 10 yard waste bags per day to the SOCRRA Transfer Station at 995 Coolidge in Troy, at no charge, from mid-December through March. No plastic bags. Please call SOCRRA at 248-288-5150 for more information.

Woody material includes tree branches, woody shrubs, bushes and hedges. Residents must keep woody materials larger than 2 inches in diameter out of their separated yard waste. Woody materials do not decompose as fast as grass, leaves and the other "soft" materials, and must be screened out of finished compost and taken to landfill, adding unnecessary costs to the program.

Put woody material between 2 and 5 inches in diameter with the regular refuse, and set it at the curb by 7 a.m. on trash day. Tie brush securely into bundles up to 4 feet long and 15 inches in diameter, not weighing more than 40 pounds, and set it at the curb. Logs over 5 inches in diameter must be disposed of privately.

To have brush between 1 and 6 inches in diameter and between 4 and 12 feet in length chipped at the curb, call the City's recommended contractor for details and costs. The City's recommended contractor is JH Hart, who may be reached at 586-795-5581.